Configurator using structure and rules to provide a user interface

Abstract

A configurator using structure and rules to provide a user interface. According to one embodiment of the invention, a customizable product class is created. The customizable product class includes a set of one or more attributes to define the customizable product class. A component product class is added to the customizable product class, where the component product class is a subclass of the customizable product. A customizable class rule is associated to the customizable product class, the customizable class rule including expressions which provide conditions on component products added to the customizable product. A customizable UI is mapped to the customizable product class, where the customizable UI provides access structure to the configurator.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 generating a first configurator for a customizable product, wherein the generating the first configurator comprises performing the operations of
 creating a customizable product, wherein
 the customizable product comprises a set of one or more attributes, and 
 the set of one or more attributes is configured to define, at least in part, the customizable product, 
 
 assigning the customizable product to a customizable product class, wherein
 the customizable product class is a parent class of a hierarchy defining the first configurator, 
 
 adding a component product class to the customizable product class, wherein
 the component product class is a subclass of the customizable product, 
 
 adding a customizable class rule to the customizable product class, wherein
 the customizable class rule comprises
 one or more expressions, and 
 the one or more expressions are configured to define one or more constraints on one or more component products added to the customizable product, and 
 
 
 mapping a customizable user interface (UI) to the customizable product class,
 wherein
 the customizable UI is configured to provide access structure to the first configurator; and 
 
 
 generating a second configurator for another customizable product, wherein
 the generating the second configurator comprises
 performing at least one of the operations on the another customizable product. 
 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 adding one or more component product classes to a port; and 
 adding the port to the customizable product class, wherein
 the port is configured to allow the first configurator to classify a group of component products. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein
 the port comprises
 a cardinality attribute, and 
 
 the cardinality attribute is configured to constrain the number of component products to
 be added by the first configurator. 
 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the cardinality attribute comprises at least one of
 a minimum cardinality, or 
 a maximum cardinality, 
 
 the minimum cardinality is configured to constrain the minimum number of component
 products to be added by the first configurator, and 
 
 the maximum cardinality is configured to constrain the maximum number of component
 products to be added by the first configurator. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 the cardinality attribute comprises
 a default cardinality, and 
 
 the default cardinality defines a quantity of the component product class to be added by
 the first configurator. 
 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the one or more expressions comprise at least one of
 a property path, 
 a constant, or 
 an operator. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the customizable class rule uses a natural language syntax. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the customizable class rule is a subclass of the customizable product class, 
 the component product class automatically inherits the attributes of the customizable product class, wherein
 the component product class comprises a plurality of related products complementary to the customizable product, and 
 
 the component product class inherits the customizable class rule of the customizable product class, wherein
 the customizable product class is associated with a plurality of modifiable attributes, and 
 the attributes comprise information about the customizable product class and the component product class defined by a configuration expert. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the component product class comprises
 a static attribute, and 
 
 the static attribute is not associated with a parent class. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the customizable product is configured as an object oriented structure, wherein the
 configuration comprises 
 a modeling session, wherein
 the first configurator is generated during a modeling session to customize the customizable product based on the customizable class rule, 
 the first configurator is mapped to the customizable user interface to customize the product based on an input from a configuration expert, and 
 the input comprises a modification to the customizable class rule based on the customizable product, 
 
 the customizable product comprises versioning information, 
 the component product class comprises one or more component product subclasses, and
 a plurality of related products associated with the customizable product class, 
 
 
 at least one of the one or more component product subclasses is configured to inherit an attribute of the one or more attributes of the customizable product class, and 
 the attribute is of type string, number, date, and Boolean. 
 
     
     
       11. A computer program product comprising:
 a plurality of instructions, comprising
 a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to generate a first configurator for a customizable product, wherein
 the first set of instructions comprises
 a first subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to create a customizable product, wherein the customizable product comprises 
  a set of one or more attributes, and 
  the set of one or more attributes is configured to define, at least in part, the customizable product, 
 a second subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to assign the customizable product to a customizable product class, wherein 
  the customizable product class is a parent class of a hierarchy defining the first configurator, 
 a third subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to add a component product class to the customizable product class, wherein 
  the component product class is a subclass of the customizable product, 
 a fourth subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to add a customizable class rule to the customizable product class, wherein 
  the customizable class rule comprises 
  one or more expressions, and 
  the one or more expressions are configured to define one or more constraints on one or more component products added to the customizable product, and 
 a fifth subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to map a customizable user interface (UI) to the customizable product class, wherein 
  the customizable UI is configured to provide access structure to the first configurator, and 
 
 
 a second set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to generate a second configurator for another customizable product wherein,
 the second set of instructions comprises at least one subset of the first, the second, the third, the fourth, or the fifth subsets of instructions, and 
 the second set of instructions are performed on the another customizable product; and 
 
 
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions are encoded in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein the first set of instructions comprises:
 a sixth subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to add one or more component product classes to a port; and 
 a seventh subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to add the port to the customizable product class, wherein
 the port is configured to allow the first configurator to classify a group of component products. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein
 the port comprises
 a cardinality attribute, and 
 
 the cardinality attribute is configured to constrain the number of component products to be added by the first configurator. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein
 the cardinality attribute comprises at least one of
 a minimum cardinality, or 
 a maximum cardinality, 
 
 the minimum cardinality is configured to constrain the minimum number of component products to be added by the first configurator, and 
 the maximum cardinality is configured to constrain the maximum number of component products to be added by the first configurator. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein
 the cardinality attribute comprises
 a default cardinality, and 
 
 the default cardinality defines a quantity of the component product class to be added by the first configurator. 
 
     
     
       16. A computer system comprising:
 a processor; 
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the processor; and 
 a plurality of instructions, encoded in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and configured to cause the processor to
 generate a first configurator for a customizable product, wherein
 the instructions configured to cause the processor to generate the first configurator comprise a first set of instructions configured to cause the processor to
 create a customizable product, wherein 
  the customizable product comprises a set of one or more attributes, and 
  the set of one or more attributes is configured to define, at least in part, the customizable product, 
 assign the customizable product to a customizable product class, wherein 
  the customizable product class is a parent class of a hierarchy defining the first configurator, 
 add a component product class to the customizable product class, wherein 
  the component product class is a subclass of the customizable product, 
 add a customizable class rule to the customizable product class, wherein 
  the customizable class rule comprises one or more expressions, and 
  the one or more expressions are configured to define one or more constraints on one or more component products added to the customizable product, and 
 map a customizable user interface (UI) to the customizable product class, wherein 
  the customizable UI is configured to provide access structure to the first configurator, and 
 
 
 generate a second configurator for another customizable product, wherein
 the instructions configured to cause the processor to generate the second configurator comprise at least one of the instructions performed in generating the first configurator, and 
 the at least one of the instructions is performed on the another customizable product. 
 
 
 
     
     
       17. The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the first configurator comprises:
 the customizable product class; 
 a component product, wherein
 the component product is of a subclass of the customizable product, 
 the component product is configured to inherit at least one attribute of the set of one or more attributes from the customizable product class; 
 
 the customizable class rule; and 
 the customizable UI. 
 
     
     
       18. The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the first configurator comprises:
 a port, wherein
 the port comprises
 a set of one or more of the component products. 
 
 
 
     
     
       19. The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the first configurator comprises:
 a second customizable product, wherein
 the component product comprises
 one or more of a second customizable product. 
 
 
 
     
     
       20. The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein
 the class rule comprises
 a natural language template, and 
 
 the natural language template uses a natural language syntax. 
 
     
     
       21. The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein
 the class rule comprises at least one of
 a batch rule, or 
 a predicate-based customizable class rule. 
 
 
     
     
       22. The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the first configurator comprises:
 an operator property, wherein
 the operator property is configured to enable a function to be performed within an expression of the one or more expressions, and 
 the expression comprises a property path.